USDA publishes request for information on production of biofuel feedstocks using climate-smart practices

USDA announced June 26 that it is seeking information from the public on procedures for quantifying, reporting and verifying the effect of climate-smart farming practices on the greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions associated with U.S.-grown biofuel-feedstock crops.

The input is being collected through a request for information to establish voluntary standards for biofuel feedstocks grown with practices that mitigate GHG emissions and/or sequester soil carbon.

These standards, authorized by section 2709 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, would be available for consideration in international, national, or state clean transportation-fuel policies to further incentivize climate-smart biofuel-feedstock crops.

“Growing crops as feedstocks for biofuels contributes to GHG emissions and using climate-smart practices, such as cover crops or no till, can reduce on-farm GHG emissions,” USDA stated.

Currently, clean-fuel transportation policies do not distinguish between how crops are grown—whether with all conventional practices or one or more climate-smart practices.

Following the issuance of U.S. Department of the Treasury’s guidance on the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credit, including the USDA Climate-Smart Agriculture Pilot Program, this request for information will help inform options for a robust standard that creates additional market opportunities for U.S. farmers and provides reliable environmental benefits, according to USDA.

Through this request for information, USDA is interested in seeking feedback on opportunities to better reflect lower GHG emissions for biofuel feedstocks grown with climate-smart practices.

“Doing so would help tackle climate change by incentivizing practices that reduce GHG emissions, and it would be a win for farmers and rural communities,” USDA stated.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, “By creating opportunities for biofuels policies to reflect climate-smart farming practices, we are enabling new markets for American producers and incentivizing more GHG-emissions reductions. This request for information lays the foundation for policies that would bring economic benefits to rural and farm communities while also helping in the fight against climate change.”

A greater adoption of climate-smart farming practices could lower overall GHG emissions associated with biofuel production and provide other environmental benefits, such as improved water quality and soil health, according to USDA.

Accurate quantification and verification are important to ensure that net-GHG emissions reductions are real.

Improving the ability to accurately quantify and verify the GHG outcomes of climate-smart farming practices can also provide additional benefits, including improved credibility and confidence in a variety of climate-smart markets, according to USDA.

USDA’s request for information will publish in the Federal Register June 27 and is seeking feedback on topics including:

• Biofuel-feedstock crops and practices for consideration in USDA’s analysis.

• Scientific data, information and analysis for consideration in quantifying the GHG-emissions outcomes of climate-smart agricultural practices and conventional farming practices.

• Records, documentation and data necessary to provide sufficient evidence to verify practice adoption and maintenance.

• Systems used to trace feedstocks throughout the biofuel supply chain.

• Third-party verification of practice adoption and maintenance.

The request for information is available for public inspection June 26 and comments may be submitted starting June 27.

Interested parties may submit comments during the 30-day public-comment period, which will end July 26.